He went on to express his view that the Rebels, in effect, played by a different set of rules and that the UNLV program should be investigated from top to bottom, up to and including the players' grades, class attendance, cars and summer jobs. On March 2, 1991, the UNLV Runnin' Rebelscoached by perennial NCAA-tormentor Jerry Tarkanian and led by future NBA first rounders Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, and Greg Anthonyfinished off a perfect regular season. DePaul's appearance is, as of 2022, the last appearance of an independent team in the tournament. He was one of the strongest players in the post with a 36 + vertical, a post-up game, face-up game, ball handling and 3-point range. To make things interesting Coach Jerry Tarkanian always scheduled a tough out of conference schedule that, in 1991, included Arkansas (2), Michigan State (4), and Louisville (23), all top 25 opponents at the time. You call a last second shot that hits the backboard and grazes the rim better? More School Info. Learn more and register, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com Blog and Articles. As the ball left Anderson Hunts hands, we naturally assumed it would find its mark, desperate and deep as the 3-pointer might have been in the waning seconds of the national semifinal game. There is no additional information to display:
Brown, Josh
"We knew we had a target on our back in every game and had to play our best.". A LITTLE MORE than three months after the title game, the NCAA ruled that UNLV was indeed ineligible for the 1991 postseason due to violations dating back to 1977. There is no additional information to display. 103-73. If this two-time all American honors and 1991 Wooden Award winner isnt in your list of top 20 college players of all time, chances are you need to get some old film and watch pure dominance at work. Quinn Buckner, for one, had already stated his belief that UNLV was actually superior to his own team. "We wanted to show him that we were his best team," Grant Hill says. As 7,963 Canadians looked on (in a stadium that could seat 60,000), the Rebels rolled. After the first TV timeout, Tarkanian switched his defense from man-to-man to the infamous "amoeba" zone. What is hard for many to fathom is UNLV's 1990-91 roster was stronger and more ruthlesswith an average margin of victory of 26.7 points per game prior to a stunning loss to Dukein that . Why would anyone want to research someone like Wooden who has been built up saintly? In advance of the rematch on the Aggies' home floor, Utah State took out a full-page ad in the Logan Herald Journal. The Runnin' Rebels have one Sweet Sixteen appearance since 1991. Re-read that line a couple times. Gambling problem? They played championship-caliber ball. Anthony was a confident player, tough as nails. He was one of the strongest players in the post with a 36 + vertical, a post-up game, face-up game, ball handling and 3-point range. Hide/Show Additional Information For Royce Hamm Jr. Hide/Show Additional Information For Reece Brown, Hide/Show Additional Information For Josh Baker, Hide/Show Additional Information For Trey Hurlburt, Hide/Show Additional Information For James Hampshire, Hide/Show Additional Information For Marvin Coleman, Hide/Show Additional Information For Cameron Burist, Video Platform powered by CBS Sports Digital. One of the few figures associated with that UNLV team who's willing to revisit the subject of 1991 in 2021 is Jerry Koloskie, who then served as athletic trainer for the Rebels before later becoming the school's senior associate athletic director. Hamm Jr. Reece
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If Anthony didnt get into foul trouble against Duke, wed almost certainly be talking about UNLVs back-to-back championships today. (Editor's note: ESPN reached out to multiple starters from that team as well as to one member of the coaching staff. Tarkanian's program was indeed under scrutiny, and speculation had already begun on where his star players would go if UNLV were placed on probation by the NCAA. Justin Webster called the Rebels 91-66 loss Wednesday to Utah State the worst game hes ever played in during his basketball career. Although not on the trash-talking level of todays college players, Anthony was clearly the kind of player that make you regret any trash-talking you dished out. Koloskie wholeheartedly believes the game's outcome turned on Anthony fouling out. Dave Rice: (UNLVs new head coach): Fundamentally sound player who received minor minutes. Will Saxon. Yes, the Rebels intensity occasionally boiled over, but mostly Tarks guys stuck to trash talking and winning. NCAA Tournament. Three lottery picks and a Hall of Fame coach. We present them here for purely educational purposes. The Blue Devils were playing in their fourth Final Four in five years, but Mike Krzyzewski had yet to win it all and his team had a reputation as, in the Chicago Tribune's phrasing, "the familiar bridesmaids." UNLV beat in-state rival Nevada by 50. The Runnin' Rebs lived up to their nickname, sprinting on fast breaks off misses and turnovers, but they were also a juggernaut in the half court. DeShawn Henry. The margins were ridiculous. Hinton. Johnson, Cheickna
Two of the program's prize recruits, Ed O'Bannon and Shon Tarver, promptly withdrew their verbal commitments to Tarkanian and enrolled at UCLA instead. "I'm in awe.". Best NCAA Tournament Player: Was it Carmelo Anthony or Christian Laettner? The game turned when UNLV point guard Greg Anthony fouled out with 3:51 remaining. UNLV will finally commemorate its 2021-22 Mountain West regular-season and tournament championships ahead of Thursdays game against Utah State. Duke's game plan worked from the opening tip, with the Blue Devils hitting their first five shots for a 13-5 lead. Johnson joined an already loaded squad. Everyone, and I mean everyone, hated UNLV. On the court Duke trained for UNLV's length, athleticism and speed. Georgia Tech, with Kenny Anderson and Dennis Scott, gave UNLV a game in the Final Four, but UNLV pulled out a 90-81 victory. Kruger, Carlin
The Jayhawks had been unable to defend their 1988 national title in Williams' first season because of NCAA penalties. UNLV's roster included three of the eventual top 12 picks in the 1991 NBA Draft: Larry Johnson (first overall), Stacey Augmon (9th) and Greg Anthony (12th). A contested desperation heave didn't have a chance, clanging off the backboard. So weve made it to March. Todd Day, Oliver Miller, and Lee Mayberry anchored the Arkansas squad. Now free to defend its title, UNLV was expected to confront its first real test in December when it played Steve Smith and Michigan State at the two-year-old Palace of Auburn Hills. Because many people forget or simply ignore the plain truth - LJ kicked everyones ass on the court. The 1991 Final Four birthed the Duke dynasty, giving Mike Krzyzewski the first of his five championships. It wasn't. If youre a basketball nut like me, you saw HBOs UNLV documentary. Though UNLV led 43-41 at halftime, Duke remained confident. UNLV chose the second alternative, and other programs that were or recently had been placed on probation by the NCAA were outraged. Stacey Augmon had 31 points, Anderson Hunt. Reggie Manuel was recruited to UNLV by legendary men's basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian shortly after the Rebels won the NCAA championship in 1990. Senior Director of Administration & Alumni Relations. The largest crowd in the history of Barnhill Arena showed up to do their Woo Pig Sooieing worst. Athletic Trainer. Duke, coached by Mike Krzyzewski, won a rematch of the previous year's . This tournament marked the first time a #15 seed upset a #2 seed since the tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, when Richmond accomplished against Syracuse in the East region. I wasnt a great college player, didnt go to a great university and never coached at a big-time program. Despite its image as a team that relied mainly on Johnson in the paint, UNLV was significantly more perimeter-oriented than Division I as a whole in 1990-91. And as I look around the college basketball landscape, I see failure and defeats everywhere. Losing the most lopsided championship game in tournament history had battered Dukes psyche. Essence Booker, one of four honored on Senior Salute afternoon, made key plays late to lift UNLV to an 18th straight win in beating San Diego State. Wichita State in 2014. (Rebel coach Jerry Tarkanians nickname was Tark the Shark.) The Blue Demons would join the, This page was last edited on 30 January 2023, at 22:15. Krzyzewski had said goodbye to Phil Henderson and Alaa Abdelnaby from the previous year's team, but he still had Christian Laettner, Thomas Hill, Bobby Hurley, Billy McCaffrey and Brian Davis. Coach Wooden (good) is to this day considered a saint with not a single corrupt bone in his body, while Coach Tarkanian (bad) is viewed as having low morals with little regard for authority. But what most didnt realize was that, as superb a returning starting five as UNLV had that evening in 91, Duke put on the floor three players (Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley) who would also be considered among the best in college history. Because many people forget or simply ignore the plain truth - LJ kicked everyone's ass on the court. No title defense. It was also the first time a team reached 100 points in the championship game. Students at Arkansas -- ranked No. 2 in the nation and standing at 22-1 behind stars Oliver Miller and Todd Day -- had been camping out in front of Fayetteville's Barnhill Arena for a full week in advance of the game, and Rebels coach Jerry Tarkanian sought to put the tent city to good use for his own team. Since freshmen were not eligible at the time of UCLA's run, Duke's. Always winning. Anderson Hunt: He was one of the most dangerous players on the team. Thomas Hill can recall the exact moment when he knew Duke would achieve one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history: it was during the pre-game lineup introductions. Hes covered high school and UNLVs Anderson Hunt scores a basket as teammate Larry Johnson looks on during an NCAA Tournament first-round win over Montana on March 15,1991. The Hogs even held the halftime lead. Royce
These sites are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with with these teams or institutions. Sara Doty. The Blue Devils opened the game against UNLV by making their first five shots and taking a 15-8 lead. That and the fact that perfect regular seasons are exceedingly rare in college basketball. "I looked over at Brian [Davis] and said, We got these MF's. ", The Rebels negated coach Nolan Richardson's vaunted "40 minutes of hell" full-court press by repeatedly firing outlet passes to a streaking Anderson Hunt for still another fast-break dunk. Not really. Stoeckinger. On March 2, 1991, the UNLV Runnin Rebelscoached by perennial NCAA-tormentor Jerry Tarkanian and led by future NBA first rounders Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, and Greg Anthonyfinished off a perfect regular season. Stanford Cardinal (13-17, 7-12 Pac-12) at Oregon Ducks (17 . Robinson, Jimmie
Previous Season Next Season. UNLV coach Kevin Kruger is 3-0 against the Wolf Pack, but the Rebels are regrouping after a 91-66 loss to Utah State on Wednesday. "I was pleased we hung in there as long as we did," Heathcote said afterward. Ja Morants allegations of aggression off the court, explained. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Clark, Bill
1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. Tarkanian grew tired of the NCAAs accusations and their blatant blind eyes to obvious rule breaking by UCLAs boaster Sam Gilbert. After a timeout, he calmly swished both free throws. Its simple those teams are mentioned in passing - never with the reverence of 91 UNLV. No post season for the Rebels. "Even at halftime, you're thinking we're going to go out and do what we usually do, and it just never happened.". Johnson then tied the game after hitting one of three free throws -- Thomas Hill was called for a lane violation. An Ackles tip-in on the ensuing possession pushed the lead to five, but UNLV was disjointed without their point guard and Duke went on a 6-0 run to pull ahead 77-76. It snapped UNLVs 45-game win streak dating to the previous season, including its championship game whipping of these Blue Devils. We didnt know it would also mark the beginning of the end of the programs reign as a national power. Equally impressive was Augmons ability to finish in transition. McCaffrey, Bobby
Visit ESPN to view the UNLV Rebels team roster for the current season. A fourth player, George Ackles, went . "In hindsight, I think it's less of a surprise that we won that game than when it happened. As the sideline reporter assigned to the Duke bench, Brown related to Nantz and Billy Packer that "Coach K wanted his team to get out to a fast start and not allowing his guys a chance to get scared.". The Rebels earned their second consecutive West region No. What happened: You can count on hand how many times an NCAA final has seen such dominance created by defense. Like everything about UNLV in 91, what transpired next was memorable. Elmore Spencer: How many teams have a first round pick at the center position on the bench? Do you have a sports website? Thats right I said it. UAB did the best it could. After the game, Miller said simply of UNLV, "They need to go to the NBA. Stacey Augmon: To say that Augmon should be ranked among the best defensive players in college basketball history is not an idle boast. Neither team looked the least bit scared. While no one could have known of the impending streak, the game did attract national attention for a very different reason. Asked at the Final Four news conference about his mentor's comments, Krzyzewski laughed it off. Title. 1 seed and arrived at the 1991 round of 32 in Tucson, Arizona, with a 31-0 record. IT WAS TOUTED as the game of the year in college basketball, and it would tip at 11:20 in the morning local time on a Sunday in February. Video & Recruiting Coordinator. All rights reserved. No team has won 40 games or more in a row in the 30 years since. Amazingly these same sports writers who have jumped on Tarkanian throughout his coaching career, especially after his team lost to Duke in 1991, either havent or only lightly brushed the Sam Gilbert connection to Woodens legacy. The 1991 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball.It began on March 14, 1991, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Indianapolis, Indiana.A total of 63 games were played. Hill almost atoned for his mistake, missing a short pull-up, but Laettner grabbed the offensive rebound and was fouled. We havent talked about it once, Tarkanian told the Los Angeles Times when it was all over. "Um, no. The protagonist/antagonist characters are so striking you would have to be blind not to see. Walton went on to write, If the UCLA teams of the late 1960s and early 1970s were subjected to the kind of scrutiny Jerry Tarkanian and his players have been, UCLA would probably have to forfeit about eight national championships and be on probation for the next 100 years. Have you ever been caught in a rip current, breaking swells pounding around you as youre jerked away from the shore? My hat off to Coach Tark for getting us to play together and play that hard all the time. UNLV basketball made about $1.5 million during its championship season of 1989-90. . There were a few hiccups sure, but nothing that hadnt been ironed out for the 1990 NCAA Tournament. 12 seed Ball State in a regional semifinal and then faced Loyola Marymount in the Elite Eight in Oakland. West Boys Roster. These publications were digitized by Digital Scholarship@UNLV staff from copies held in . The 1991 Rebels were the bad guys and they loved every minute of their role. Previous Season Next Season. Like us on Facebook. When writers praised his team's valiant effort after the game, John Thompson was having none of it: "We're not in the moral-victory business at Georgetown.". Four of Fresno State's 10 wins have come in true road games (three in conference play). Hill, Crawford
Record: 26-2 (18-0, 1st in Big West MBB ) Rank: 7th in the Final AP Poll. #1 UNLV Runnin' Rebels travelled to the Barnhill Arena in Fayetteville, AR to take on the #2 Arkansas Razorbacks. Now I know what everyone will say - they didnt even win the title that year! Four of Fresno State's 10 wins have come in true road games (three in conference play). For a guarantee of $75,000, UNLV played its season opener at B.C. ", Duke had also added a freshman sensation. A 30-point blowout doesnt usually have much pride or excuses associated with it. We dont always play well, but weve always played hard and that didnt happen tonight., Duke freshman Grant Hill: I dont think they were used to slowing the ball down and having to look for one shot at the end, he said of a UNLV team which had won by an average of more than 27 points in its 30 games prior to the NCAA tournament. Weve never discussed going undefeated.. Complete roster for the 1991-1992 UNC Basketball team. Copyright 2019 Las Vegas Review-Journal, Inc. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service, In this March 30, 1991, file photo, UNLV's Anderson Hunt (12) and unidentified teammates leave the floor after losing to Duke in an NCAA national semifinal game in Indianapolis. UNLV would eventually reach the national semifinal 30 years ago this weekend having won 45 straight games over a period of 13 months. "It legitimized us as a serious program. The 1990-91 UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team represented the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in NCAA Division I men's competition in the 1990-91 season.The Runnin' Rebels, coached by Jerry Tarkanian, entered the season as defending national champions and entered the 1991 NCAA tournament unbeaten, but lost in the national semifinal to eventual champions Duke when Anderson Hunt's . To mimic the Runnin' Rebels' swarming defense -- which shifted between man-to-man and the Amoeba, a 1-1-3 zone that combined ball pressure and corner traps with man-to-man concepts -- Duke starters played 5-on-7 against the bench in practice. The left-hander often backed up Ackles or Larry Johnson depending on foul trouble and opposing team personnel. And Rancho High product Anthony, the point guard, was the glue that held it all together. We had been in close games. The game stayed close for the duration, and both teams showcased skills that had carried them this far. As for specific tactics, Duke sagged an extra defender, often center George Ackles' man, on Johnson whenever he caught the ball down low. This year also saw the final appearance of the Pontiac Silverdome and two former Final Four venues, in Cole Field House and Freedom Hall. "We just never got there," Koloskie says now of the Duke game. "They were brutal," he said, and that was just what he expected and wanted. "UNLV were so cool and nonchalant like, Yeah, it's going to be a cakewalk. But still, UNLVs last game of a perfect season was played in a gym. Kansas made its second trip to the National Championship game in four seasons, the prior appearance being 1988 when they defeated Oklahoma. You call winning a game by 2-points better? Larry Johnson scored 26. After a freshman season at Georgia Spencer transferred to Connors State Junior College. UNLV reeled off its next 16 wins by an average score of 103-71 before encountering what experts forecasted to be an actual challenge, a true road game at Arkansas. Say what you want about level of competition, but while the Big West wasnt the Pac-10 or ACC, think of Memphis in conference USA. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Will Saxon. 1991-92. During the UNLV golden age they won an impressive 45 games straight when you include their final 11 games of the 1990 championship season. Though his team had gone 0-3 against the Rebels that season, Long Beach State head coach Seth Greenberg said Tarkanian's "biggest vulnerability is if Greg [Anthony] gets in foul trouble." "As great a team as that UNLV team was, we were a pretty darn good team too," Grant Hill says. THIS WAS THE the first Final Four called by Jim Nantz for CBS, and his future broadcast partner, Grant Hill, was a freshman for the Blue Devils. Duke lost to UNLV by 30 points in the previous season's championship. And the big fourAnderson, Augmon, Hunt, and Johnsonwere all coming back. They were the number one team that entire season. Have you ever felt as if youre in a washing machine on a super speed setting? VICTORY NO. In the buildup to UNLV's title defense, countless features had been written on how to beat the Rebels. Tarkanian died in 2015.) Hartman, Tim
Hurley, Antonio
You call holding two All-Americans in Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon to a combined 16 points better? We definitely werent backing down from anyone. The 1990 UNLV Runnin' Rebels are regarded as one of the greatest college basketball teams of all time. As journalists its just easier to say that bad guys wear black and good guys wear white when in truth the real intentions of men are somewhere in the middle called the grey area. UNLV came down court with one final chance at keeping its dreams alive, but Anderson Hunt's 3-pointer with 2 seconds to play bounced off the rim.
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